Editor’s note: Jakob Ingebrigtsen excited many fans with his big 5000 meters in Birmingham! The fans loved it at Alexander Stadium and the fans worldwide went nuts. Jakob has races in Brussels and then Budapest to complete his outdoor track and field season.
Last month, Jakob Ingebrigtsen surprised many people with his 5,000-meter victory after nearly a year of battling injuries.
That 5,000-meter win was his fourth European Athletics championship in a row over the classic 12.5-lap race! It was also his 22nd EA gold medal in a European Championships.
It was 323 days since his last race (the Tokyo 5,000m final on September 21, 2025), when Jakob raced on August 10, 2026.
In Tokyo 2025, Jakob reportedly said he was there to enjoy Tokyo with his family. His heat of the 1,500 meters and the 5,000m final showed an athlete who was on the way to full fitness but not there.
When Jakob showed up at the 5,000m final in Birmingham, many fans wondered if the King was ready to roll! I believe Jimmy Gressier was one of the doubters, as Gressier, like his fellow competitors, left so many opportunities for Jakob to stay in the race.
About fifteen years ago, I was in Birmingham for the then-Indoor Meeting at NAI Stadium. I shared a taxi with Bernard Lagat to the airport. Bernard, a man who had won WC medals and Olympic medlas, knew how to kick. I asked Bernard Lagat why he kicked too late in the races. Bernard Lagat smiled and said, “If you move close to the finish, your competitors can not respond.”
The 5000m final in Birmingham 2026 was chaotic. Jakob Ingebrigtsen thrived on that chaos. His move, with fifty meters to go, gave him gold and took Gressier out of the medals.
The stadium was electrified, and the global audience- the fans of Jakob Ingebrigtsen- were there to believe, once again.
How big are King Jakob believers? I recall, in 2023, at NIKE Pre, high school runners who drove for hours to come and see Jakob. Jakob came up into the stands and spoke with the athletes.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen knows that his fans are insatiable. They know he has won 22 European Athletic Championships, from cross-country to indoor to outdoor! NIKE, his sponsor, sees his superstar status.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen did not race Diamond League races for 711 days. He will be doing his third DL race now, this weekend in Brussels!
Watch next week, when we write about Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr battling at the Budapest Ultimate Games!
